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Life and Death Zarth Edition
by Michael T. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 02/15/2018 10:29:30

WARNING! This adventure does NOT take place on Zarth!?! WTF!?! If you want to write a D&D adventure,then don't say it's a "Zarth" edition! Call it a "BS pocket dimension edition"! RIP-OFF. I want my money back! }:{



Rating:
[1 of 5 Stars!]
Life and Death Zarth Edition
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Creator Reply:
Thanks for the balanced and well thought out review. Its called the "Zarth" edition to tie it into Crypts and Things default setting. From the introduction (which is viewable in the preview): "Where in the World of Zarth? If you intend to use this adventure with characters who have previously adventured in the Continent of Terror, here’s some suggestions on where The Shattered Lands exist: • Far across the Reapers Sea on another continent. • In its own pocket dimension or Other World. Characters from Zarth arrive via a magic portal, such as the one in the Black Monolith in the Haunted Lands in the main Crypts and Things Rule Book ." So as you can see I give two suggestions: one is Zarth based, the other is a pocket dimension/Other World.
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Project Darklight
by Gary A. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 11/30/2017 11:20:59

The setting is evocative and is a new spin on the cyberpunk run of the mill settings. However, the execution could use alot more polish. Character creation is kind of a mess. It's muddy and unclear. The book has a cut and paste feel to it. The art is good for the most part but overall the book could have used a professional editor and layout person. The book also lacks any character examples. It would have been nice to see some character templates or a few fully formed characters to get a good idea what they are suppose to look like.

I purchased this as an implulse buy simply because I thought the ancient aliens and cyberpunk mashup sounded refreshing. I wish I just bought the PDF and not the print/PDF bundle. Oh well...



Rating:
[2 of 5 Stars!]
Project Darklight
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The Hollow West
by Dillard R. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 11/29/2017 23:47:50

BLUF:This is too lite.

The idea behind the setting is fantastic. Cowboys vs Dinosaurs vs Native Americans vs Cattle Barons vs Power Hungy madman vs Occultists vs Serpent Men vs Atlanteans and I am sure I am missing somebody. Frankly the mash up is very satisfying. What isn't satisfying is the lack of a good engine. Fortune absolutely guts Fate Core and FAE for the sake of simplicity. If you want simple use FAE. If you want more crunch use the myriad tools available from Evil Hat to tweak Fate Core. Hollow West uses a simplified Fate system and advertises it as self-contained. However, the author is relying on scanty rules, with few examples, and implicitly that you have seen/played Fate or FAE before. Fate Core is full of examples because it isn't a game familiar in style to most RPGs out there. It is Theater of the Mind with the players having as much control of the story as the GM. This is unfamilar territory for most players/gms. It needs more explanation than is present in the short Hollow West book. If you do want to use this setting and are not familiar with Fate I would suggest you check it out for free on the Evil Hat website.

The only reason I would give this three stars is because of the setting. I will run this, but I will use Fate Core.



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
The Hollow West
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Hearts in Glorantha Vol 1 Collected
by Olivier P. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 09/11/2017 12:00:09

Highly recommended for all fans of Glorantha, really great content (background and scenarios)!



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Hearts in Glorantha Vol 1 Collected
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OpenQuest
by Simon B. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 07/24/2017 16:35:49

Excellent! The rules live up to their tagline, 'D100 Gaming Made Easy.' The result is a smooth play style, unburdened by the snowflakery to which percentile systems so often succumb.



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[5 of 5 Stars!]
OpenQuest
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OpenQuest
by Nicholas B. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 06/27/2017 17:12:24

This is a very nice iteration of the D100-based BRP system, built from the OGL spin-off that came from Mongoose Publishing's version of Runequest a few years back. OpenQuest is closer in design and style to classic RuneQuest and the old Worlds of Wonder's Magic World, with a percentile-based skill mechanic, down-and-dirty combat system (but with fewer layers of complexity, especially in contrast with RQ6/Mythras) and an emphasis on evocking the style of play most familiar to those who cut their teeth on RQ2 and RQ3 especially.

With most of the current BRP/Magic World line OOP now or no longer supported, I decided to take a look at the 2017 upgrade to OpenQuest and am glad I did. Here's the pros and cons:

PROS: --Great artwork in this edition. It's full color and evocative, and looks much nicer than prior editions --Good, elegant take on the BRP/D100 system with four magic systems and a sense of familiarity midway between classic Runequest and Worlds of Wonder/Magic World --The combat revisions are welcome --You could easily run a lengthy series of campaigns with just this book --I believe the vast majority of prior typos/errata are cleared up in this new edition --It's in print and New Newport and co. support OpenQuest like I wish Chaosium would support BRP/MW --close enough in compatibility to other BRP/RQ/MW games that you can cross-pollinate with other material --very fun and easy to play --Has several sourcebooks in print/PDF for support with more planned

CONS: --The layout in the book is still sparse and a bit ugly (contrast with the sister game Rivers of Heaven), but this is a YMMV issue and I like the spartan style --If you've bought in to prior versions the changes in this edition might not be enough to entice you (they did, however, entice me)

A+++



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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River of Heaven
by Judd G. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 06/03/2017 16:34:52

River of Heaven is a trans-humanistic sci-fi game with a mix of feudal, Byzantine politics. It was written by d100 rockstar Jon Ossoway. The game is built on the d100 based OpenQuest rules. The setting is filled with some intriguing and scary ideas, as it focuses on a new Bright Age following humanity's survival of a catastrophic encounter with advanced alien science that nearly wiped us out. PCs are agents and operators for the various competing forces in this new world.

Art is gorgeous and mixes high-tech with the resurgence of Byzantine fashion and aesthetics. The graphical presentation and text are clear and clean.

The way the game uses OpenQuest's battle magic system to reflect the effect of implants, nanotech, and biotech modifications is a cool use of those rules in a harder sci-fi setting.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
River of Heaven
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OpenQuest 2 Deluxe
by Kenneth S. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 03/13/2017 15:06:48

After years of hearing rave reviews I FINALLY bought a copy of Openquest. I'm basing the review on a quick read through... not actual play.

Things I like about it: It's descended from Runequest and Call of Cthulhu and the general BRP family of D100 games. Some of my favorite RPGs share that lineage. So that's a big plus right from the start.

Openquest's system sits on the lighter end of the spectrum RPGs. Its author's intent is that it be fast and versatile, and from what I've seen so far, it is. That should make it easier to teach to newbies and faster to just 'pick up and play', as the book puts it.

I also like the writing. It's got that clear, friendly, and conversational tone that makes me feel at home while I'm learning a game. Like I can put my feet up on the coffee table and raid the fridge if I want to. No golden tablets of truth being passed onto mere mortals here... the designer WANTS you to make the game your own. Everything is very clearly explained, with examples.

Openquest covers various levels of play as PCs advance in power. So even though they might start as dirt farmers, there is stuff in place for when they become powerful rulers and can start oppressing the new crop of dirt farmers.

There are already several settings and and adventures for Openquest... as well as rulebooks that take Openquest into other genres such as science fiction and historical adventures. So it's well-supported.

I haven't noticed a lot of typos or obvious errors either. So that's always a good thing.

Things I don't like about it: Well, not so much 'don't like'... since I knew about them going in. There are just a few rules here and there that I'll be tweaking... matters of taste. Openquest's experience system feels like a step down from Runequest's/CoC's 'use a skill to improve a skill.' So I'll be using something closer to how Call of Cthulhu has done it. I'll probably also want to hold onto the traditional BRP Resistance Table/Formula.

I suspect the default power level of Openquest is a bit more 'heroic' than I'm usually drawn too. It shouldn't be too hard for me to adjust that as needed if it still feels that way in play. It's probably just that starting PCs are a bit more capable/well-rounded than I'm used to in something like older versions of Runequest.

Things I'm just 'meh' about: Not a big deal, but I know others might care more than I do. Visually, outside of the cover art, which I LOVE, the illustrations and general appearance of the game is... capable. Nothing amazing... but also nothing distracting. No graphic flourishes to dazzle your eyes. No full page bleeds of photorealistic art. If you're the sort who collects RPG rulebooks for the visuals... this ain't your sort of thing. If (like me) you just want it for the rules and how it plays at the table... then it really doesn't matter.

Anyway, I put off buying Openquest for far too long... and now that I have it and am digging into it, planning a game of it... I'm really glad i've got it.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
OpenQuest 2 Deluxe
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Crypts and Things Remastered
by Steven W. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 12/18/2016 17:08:07

I just finished my first read through of Crypts and Things Remastered. I was disappointed. I thought the original was inovative and engaging. I ran a handful of adventures and thoroughly enjoyed the game. When I heard about the remastered version, I was very much looking forward to getting it. Now I feel as if I have wasted my money.

Not that the remastered version is bad; far from it. It still has the innovative Swords and Sorcery vibe of the original. It just didn't add anything I needed. I rarely use published settings, so the background material for Zarth was wasted on me. I prefered the original generic events tables to the area specific tables in the remastered versions. I also miss the art from the first version. It may have been erratic in theme and execution, but it had a certain charm that the "generic fantasy" art of the remastered version lacks.

I did not like the expanded character classes at all. I felt they added nothing to the game and actually detracted from the clean aesthetic of the original edition. I feel quite strongly that the "Serpent Noble" class will do nothing but foster enmity within the party and lead to a disruptive and less enjoyable gaming experience.

If you do not own the original, then this version is still worth the asking price. If you've already purchased the original, then I would advise you to not waste your money on this version unless you feel the need for the expansion material for the house setting.



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
Crypts and Things Remastered
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Crypts and Things Remastered
by Allen H. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 10/08/2016 08:19:11

This game ranks among the best of the Sword & Sorcery genre games that I have come across.

I don't consider myself "Old School," per se. I started gaming in '81 with Moldvay Basic (well, before that, but I was ignorant of D&D and was introduced to Holmes by an older cousin). I enjoy the older playstyles, but I am also a fan of newer games (Shadowrun, Rifts, the d20 products, Fate, Cypher, etc). I never read the prior incarnation of C&T.

This game pulls from some of my favorite source material: Conan, Elric, Weird Tales, Lovecraft, etc., The O.G. Dungeonmaster's Guide, Fiend Folio, Stormbringer, music inspirations that remind me of my high school days (old Metallica, Slayer, etc). Magic is powerful and mean (no saving throws, though player characters can "test their luck" to mitigate some dangers). The selection of beasts is a mix of Howard/Lovecraft and others. Magical treasures are reminiscent of Warhammer Fantasy (unique and often consequence laden). Corruption and sanity serve as balancers to the corrupting forces of black magic (yeah, I used corrupting to define Corruption. Big C vs little c. Just go with it, it works.).

What I'm saying here is: the game has an incredible atmosphere that the rules firmly back up. This is, in my opinion, the most important aspect of a game.

The system is based on Swords and Wizardry, but it is sufficiently different to make the purchase and play worth it. I am really impressed with the author and editor (I can be fairly pedantic at times). I am not one to point out when one uses "he" as a standard pronoun (mainly because, English), although I generally dislike the he, she, or he/she alternating between chapters that some games use. The author/editor chose the route that I generally choose: using words that are completely gender neutral. I feel it shows a more intelligent choice while not catering to a more vocal segment of society (please, no offense is intended towards anyone).

Other reviews have detailed the rules.

I would favorably compare this game to AS&SoH, another S&S game that I think is fairly incredible. C&T edges it out slightly, however, mainly due to ease of rules in C&T vs AS&SoH (Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperborea). I could see stealing from either game to complement the other.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Crypts and Things Remastered
by Bob P. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 10/05/2016 16:52:37

OK ,do you like OSR Rules? Conan? Lovecraft? Are you prepared for a game without Clerics? Still with me? Then boy Oh boy do I have the game for You! From D101 Games, written by Newt Newport PDF is $13 from Drive through/Hard copies available directly from D101 Games Powered by Swords and Wizardry (OD&D Clone)

You've got your standard 6 stats, with the addition of sanity and Luck

Sanity is very simple and elegant , covered by the wisdom stat

Luck is used for pretty much everything from spell saves to doing maximum damage in combat, again simple and elegant

The Game uses 4 core character classes, Barbarian, fighter,thief and sorcerers, The balance between Barbarian, Fighter and Thief is a little iffy and I think most Keepers are going to want to fiddle w/ this, but only minor fix is necessary. Prob as simple as giving the fighter a few more "specializations" (Feats) but the thief is a little tougher fixer upper.You see EVERYBODY gets backstab (A part of the basic flavor of the game) and should not be changed. I think the fighters could have used a bit more spec's to pick from but this is an INCREDIBLY easy fix. The sorcerer can cast white, grey or black magic. White and Black have different drawbacks , grey has none but is the weakest of the three, any sorcerer carrying his share of the adventuring load is going to want White(Cure spells, cleric y) and Black(fireballs n such) Very Very Very Nice!

A further bunch of character classes are closely tied to the setting provided Beast Hybrid(Lycanthropy) Disciple(monk like with white, black and grey subtypes) Elementalist ( a more standard sort of caster than the sorcerer with it's own spell kist) Lizard People Serpent Noble( classic REH Serpent man)

Character creation is rounded out with many life events charts that help with RPING but are COMPLETELY tied to core setting

A brief version of the setting is provided for players with an expanded section for Keepers

Large sections on Others(the demons of the setting and Serpent men and cool NPCs are followed by a very cool bestiary including many cool new creatures and some old favorites

The book has many many extras including a bunch of adventures(don't use canned adventures so didn't read them) The art is nice and very flavorful, didn't notice ANY typo's or grammatical mistakes

I can sum it all up with the following sentence: 50%Conan/50% HPL , all OSR D&D, Tough to use without their world(which is pretty good) Despite my problems here and there 5 out of 5 stars



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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OpenQuest Basic Edition
by Cameron M. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 09/29/2016 02:12:26

This is great for a free product! OpenQuest is an indie retroclone version of RuneQuest which could be described as a trimmed down RQ6/Mythras, yet with the flavour of classic era RQ2 and RQ3. Quick character gen, simple combat rules, reasonable weapon lists etc and Basic Magic. Perfect for an old school session if you want to play a classic fantasy D&D or RQ game, and there's no need to buy the expanded version unless you want more equipment and magic OQ is.a good taster to see if you want to invest in the more complex versions of RQ down the track, although there's certainly no need to do so. There's also a few sword and sorcery scenarios available, so this is perfect as an entry point into simple, classless classic fantasy gaming. The Basic Edition of the core rules is self-contained and free, so you can't get much better than that!



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
OpenQuest Basic Edition
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Crypts and Things Remastered
by Neil S. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 08/20/2016 09:24:33

An amazing blend of old school D&D with a classic sword and sorcery sensibilities (conan etc). The rules are streamlined with luck replacing saving throws much like old school Fighting Fantasy. Magic lite with a sparkle of the werid, very much the product of British writer. All wrapped up in a unique world that is fun to explore.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Crypts and Things Remastered
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Reunion
by Joshua O. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 06/01/2016 10:50:47

[NO SPOILERS] This is a fantastic adventure for many reasons. First off, the intro is so well-written it inspired me to write my own scenario. Then I bought and ran Reunion. There is a clever justification for why the players don't know much about the setting and this makes the introduction to the worlld very organic. While it has a very tight plot, it plays as a sandbox adventure that allows the players almost total freedom to determine the sequence and nature of events. It is very detailed, I felt that every possibility had been thought of and at every turn there were interesting story aspects to uncover. It is a very dangerous scenario and a TPK could happen at any moment. I don't generally read a scenario cover to cover when running it, because I like to discover the story with the players. This is a high bar and this scenario largely meets it (though two things: 1) There is a LOT of info so I'd suggest printing it all out and organizing it into stacks based on location for easy reference. If playing online you'll want to use Foxit Editor to snapshot the maps and area descriptions so you're not constantly scrolling through the PDF) and 2) there are a couple of places where conflicting information is printed that can confuse and mislead the GM. But that's a minor issue. This inspired me to buy the corfe book, which has a great cybernetics system that works perfectly in BRP. I ran this using the Call of Cthulhu 7e riules as the River of Heaven/OpenQuest system is a little too crunchy for my taste. I had no trouble at all with the conversion. This module is, dare I say it, Horror on the Orient Express good.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Reunion
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Hunters of Alexandria
by Mark N. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 10/15/2015 09:00:02

Hunters of Alexandria (HoA) is definitely an above average (well, as far as it does what I want it to) game in which he PCs are the Hunters of the title, a Delta Green style group fighting the good fight in... well that should be pretty obvious. The rules are designed to support this concept which makes a somewhat limited sandbox to play in... but on the other hand the title of the game really does say what it is about so you really can't complain about a range of adventure styles or locations not being supported.

I'm a fan of simple systems so its version of Fate makes HoA very easy to pick up and play. The book contains some high level detail about Alexandria itself, although one oddity is that this is spread over widely separated chapters. Chapter 2, called 'The city of Alexandria', describes the populace and various religions. You have to get to Chapter 8, Geography, before getting some details about the city itself. I think that this could have been better organised or presented (i finished reading Chapter 2 and wondered where any descriptions of the city itself were), but YMMV and all that. One surprise is that for all its brevity (I LIKE brevity - any time I come across a game with 500+ pages a small piece of my soul dies) there is about 40 pages of scenario (or hooks) included. This bounces the group around a variety of locations and people who could support a lot of further play. Nice.

My only quibble - and the thing that stopped me giving a 5/5 rating - is about the flavour of the setting. Fate does allow the authors to some nicely evocative descriptions - for example one area of the city is described as an 'Island of another culture' and another is a 'fire hazard' - but the descriptions are of a relatively generic city of the 'Ancients' and even the famous Lighthouse and Library get only a brief write-up. For a game so closely tied to a specific location i'd hoped for more flavour, pictures showing the streets, some of the buildings etc



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Hunters of Alexandria
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